Bee-eaters - Meropidae

The Bee-eaters worldwide could be considered to come from two subfamilies -1]  the bearded Bee-eaters, Nyctyornithinae and 2] the typical Bee-eaters, Meropinae, .

World wide there are 26 species and in South East Asia - 6 species. In Malaysia, we are lucky to be able to spot 4 of these species 

The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is native to a large range of land stretching from the Philippines to the foothills of Himalayas. This is one migratory Bee-eater. One intriguing point about the Blue-tailed Bee-eater is that its time of appearance in Malaysia runs contrary to that of the Blue-tailed Bee-eater. it is like the changing of shift. One goes and the other appear. So far only once in Pangsoon that I had seen 3/4 Bee-eaters of the Blue-tailed and Blue-throated at the same spot, side by side of one another.

I am trying to firm up some dates for long term observation. The Blue-tailed Bee-eaters from continental Asia would spent the winter months in the south. I feel that the bird is more a wintering visitors in Malaysia. They should be seen around the period of August- March. At year time, the open country and forest edge would be filled with Blue-tailed Bee-eater. Then they start flying back from the months of February

This bird actually breed in Myanmar and North Thailand during the period of February - May and are resident of West Thailand.

It is not difficult to monitor the migration time line. When new migrants are in the country, they would descend on the urban housing estates in doves. Their calls would alert me. Strays would perch on the TV aerials. Having consolidated my notes, my new task would be to confirm whether any vagrants from the Blue-tailed remained in the my usual haunts.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater # 1

The Blue-throated Bee-eater is native to the Islands of Philippines and the Sunda Archipelago. This bird breeds in China during the months of March - August. The bird spends its winter period in the south and are passage migrants through South Thailand and Malaysia. Around the same time as the Blue-tailed Bee-eater are flying into Malaysia in August, could also be the same time the Blue-throated Bee-eater are passing through on their way to Indonesia.

It is during this period that I saw groups of 10/20 birds in the Kiara Hills for a few days. Then the group re-appear after days of absence. Could be the different groups passing by. On the northwards bound journey, the Blue-tailed Bee-eater would have left early in February, followed by a short period when the Blue-throated Bee-eater was sighted.

At the same time, there is also a population of Blue-throated Bee-eaters staying in Malaysia as residents and breeding here as well using the same breeding time frame. It is interesting that time like May, where little Blue-tailed was seen, that I saw the Blue-throated. In early May there were 3 newly fledged Blue-throated Bee-eater in FRIM. Then we saw adults in Bidor.

The local residents when encountered are in pairs or with the siblings of 3/4 birds. Obviously different from scenes of 10s of birds when meeting up with a group of passage migrants. The big question I asked myself, most resident Bee-eaters have remained in remote countryside and forest edge. How would the scene be, when the wintering Blue-tailed are in the country?

Blue-throated Bee-eater # 1

Very little information is available about this species. The bird is native to the foothills of Himalayas, then a narrow corridor to South-western China. Through the Andaman Island into Northern Peninsula and into the Indonesian Islands Sumatra, Java and lastly Bali. It was observed that in India, this is  bird of the highland forest than also prefers places near waterways.

In Malaysia, the bird is found in lowlands open country. In Penang, huge colony near Air Itam which is an area of low hills. In Perak, the open areas of Padi fields and ex-tin mines land. Perched in middle or lower storey. In the case of Bee-eaters, more often than not along electrical wires. Though the bird was seen as far south as Johore, but recent sightings showed that it was sighted around Ipoh and not further than that.

As usual, the bird nest in tunnels bored out in the soils of vertical slopes and the community look after the young. Then I read that the bird lay its eggs the period February to May. In the past few years the birds would leave Penang by early February. In 2008, the whole colony of birds were still around in early April. Where did the bird comes from or leaving for which destination to do their breeding? Someone did mention that the bird breeds in India & Asia! Nowhere was mentioned that bird is migratory.

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater # 1